Method of and apparatus for annealing glassware



June 3, 1941. D G, MERRlLL 2,244,112

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING GLASSWARE Filed March 2, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 @j la /9 ,55

June 3,.-1941.

D. G. MERRILL 2,244,112 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING GLASSWARE Filed March'2, 195e 8 Sheets-:sheetl 2 June 3, 1941. D G, MERRILL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING GLASSWARE Filed March 2, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 WZ S' D. G. MERRILL 2,2244gl2 June 3, 194i.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING GLASSWARE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 2, 1936 `une 3, 1941. D. G. MERRILL 2,244,112

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ANNALING GLASSWARE Filed March 2, 193e a sheets-sheet 5 June 3, 1941.

D. G. MERRILL 2,244,112 METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING GLASSWARE Filed March 2, 1936 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 9 Figli? ff a m H www w /0- /6 June 3, 1941. D. G. MERRlLL 2,244,112

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING GLASSWARE Filed March 2, 1936 8 lSheets-Sheet 7 June 3, 1941., D. G. MERRsLI.

METHOD oF.AND APPARATUS`FOR ANNEALING GLAsswARE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed March 2, 1936 agli?.

.Patented June 3, 19.41

METHOD F AND APPARATUS FOR ANNEAIIIN G GIJASSWARE Donald G. Merrill, West Hartford, Conn., assigner to Hartford-Empire Company, a corporation of Delaware Hartford, Conn.,

Application March 2, 1936, serial No. saam (ol. 1a-:47)

29 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for annealing glassware and more particularly to a method and apparatus for operat-4 ing and' constructing glassware annealing lehrs in which the-temperature of the ware is controlled by generating products of combustion in the heated portion of a lehr tunnel, the products of combustion enveloping the glassware passing through the lehr, and/or in whichlthe cooling of the 'glassware in the cooling portion of the tunnel is eiected by the circulation lof a cooling medium, such as air, in this portion of the tunnel in direct contact with the ware passing therethrough.

Among the objects of the present invention areI to provide a method as aforesaid wherein substantially all the products of combustion are exhausted from the lehr through the hotter or Ware-entering end thereof.

A further object is to provide a method of annealing glassware, as above set forth, in which gases are circulated in the hotter portion of the tunnel under the directive or inductive action of the burners provided in this portion for maintaining the desired temperature gradient. Specically this circulation is of such character that sufficient heat will be distributed to the side portions of the tunnel to offset' the normal cooling effect at the sides, as by circulating hot gases rst toward the side walls below the path of the ware, thence up the side walls, thence toward the center above the path of the ware, and thence downwardly at the central longitudinal portion between the ware to be recirculated as aforesaid.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of the character above generally set forth in which a circulation of tunnel atmosphere is established in the rst or entering zone of the tunnel in a direction generally longitudinal thereof, and more specifically to provide such a circulation by the inductive action of burners so arranged that at least a. part of the gases are recirculated thereby and come into direct contact with the glassware.

A further'object of the present inventionv is tov provide methods of the character above set forth in which provision is made for eecting a lateral or transverse control of the temperature gradient in the tunnel vin the several portions thereof, for example to compensate for a condition in which one side of `the lehr might tend to run that unequal transverse temperatures be maintained.

A further object of the present invention is to so coordinate circulation of cooling air in the cooling end of the tunnel and inflow at such end with air. exhausted in the cooling portion of the tunnel as to maintain desired pressure conditions in the heated portion of the tunnel and a desired liow, usually out of the hotter end of the tunnel. I

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for use in the type of the lehr generally set forth above for preheating the lehr when it is desired initially to put it into operation after it has been shut down for a period or for maintaining the desired temperature gradient in the tunnel during a period in which no ware is going through, or in which the rate of loading in weight of ware per unit of time is So small that'the normal heat losses from the tunnel are materially in excess of the rate of ,supplying heat thereto with and by the ware.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lehr structure capable of carrying out the above-mentioned methods.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for the supplying of heat in the hotter portion of the lehr tunnel including groups of burners some, if not all, of which are arranged at acute angles to the longitudinal axis of the tunnel soI that a minimum number of burner groups will provide the necessary diffused heating of a relatively long section of the lehr and specifically to provide a novel structure cooperating with the burners for establishing an induction recirculation of tunnel atmosphere as aibove generally set forth.

A further object of the present invention is to hotter than another where it is desired to m'aintain uniform transverse temperatures, or where the normal condition is uniform and it is desired controlling the exhaust of products of combustion out of the hot or ware-entering end of a direct fired lehr in such manner that inflow of relatively cold atmospheric air' into the tunnel at this end will be substantially prevented.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for establishing a longitudinal recirculation of products of combustion and tunnel atmosphere at the entering end zone of a lehr tunnel, while at the same time providing for the diusedsupplying of heat to the tunnel in this zone" and preventing excessive heating at any tunnel forl controlling the longitudinal circulal exhausted from the tunnel at the forward end thereof, while the remainder may be recirculated in the entering end zone of the tunnel, the control being preferably effective :both as a control of the total amount of gases recirculated and also for effecting differential control thereof laterally of the tunnel.

A further object is to provide in the cooling portion of a lehr tunnel for the recirculation of a cooling medium, such as air, in this portion by the inductive action of jets and at the same time provide for the controlled exhaust of cooling medium from the tunnel selectively in zones throughout a major portion of the cooling section of the tunnel. In this connection it is a certain novel object to provide specific structure for effectively accomplishing this purpose in such manner that the structure may be easily and cheaply installed and readily controlled from outside the lehr during the operation thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means by which the inow of atmospheric air into the rear end of a lehr tunnel may be controlled in such manner that the pressure within the tunnel in the heated portion may also be controlled to control the ow through the hotter or Ware-entering end thereof.

Other and more specific objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof and from the appended claims, all

when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures l to 7 inclusive are views principally in longitudinal vertical section which, when arranged together in numerical order. illustrate substantially the entire lehr, certain of the views being partly in sid'e elevation:

Fig. 8 is a view. the upper portion of which is substantially Ain horizontal section on the line a-b of Fig. l, while the lower portion of which is substantially inA horizontal section on the line a-c in that figure;

Fig. 9 is a composite view similar to Fig. 81, but v showing the portion of the lehr illustrated in Fig. v2;

Fig. 10 is a view in transverse vertical section substantially on the line illl0 of Fig. l;

Fig. 11 is a view in transverse vertical section substantially on the line ll-il of Fig. 2;

v Fig. 12 isla view in transverse vertical section substantially on the line lZ-l 2 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 13 is a view in transverse vertical section substantially on the line i3l3 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 14 is a View in transverse vertical section substantially on the line lliitl of Fig. 6:

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section of the forward end of the lehr taken substantially on the line l5-l5 of Fig. 1. and showing in detail the construction of the damper means at the forward end of the lehr;

Fig. 16 is a detail view of one of the burner assemblies taken in horizontal ysection on the line l6-I6 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 17 is a view in vertical section of the same structure taken on the line ll-l'l of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary view in vertical section on the line l-I of Fig. 20 showing a modified form of means usable in the cooling portion of the lehr;

Fig. 19 is a framentary detail view of the same Furthermore, the present invention is somewhat similar` in certain respects, especially as to the cooling portion of the lehr, to that forming the subject matter of my prior and copending application, Serial No. 54,448, led December 14, 1935, for Method of and apparatus for annealing glassware, now Patent No. 2,133,783 granted Oct. 18, 1938. As to all subject matter common to this and my copending application, the present'application is to be considered as a continuation in part of my said prior application.

The lehr illustrated in the accompanying drawings andemlbodying my invention is shown as constructed with a rigid frame work of structural members including longitudinally extending channel members l, which are connected at intervals by transverse channels 2 and 3, and also by other suitable structural members such as the angle member il, Fig. 1, and the channel 5, Fig. 5. 'I'he transverse channels 3 are somewhat larger than the channels 2, and associated with these channels 3 are supporting members such as I-beams G, which serve as legs or pedestals for supporting the lehr structure from the floor or the support on which itis built. While I have shown the supports 6 bearing substantially directly upon the subjacent support or floor of the factory indicated at 7, I contemplate that if desired, suitable means such as wheels or castors could be used to permit of the movement of the lehr asa whole. now common both in the patented and in the commercial art, they are not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Supported by the structural framework above described is a box-like casing member formed of vertical angles 8 on each side of the tunnel and transverse angles 9, Figs. v3 and 4, above the tunnel, this entire framework holding a casing including bottom panel members lll, side panel members Il, and top panel members l2, all of which are preferably of relatively thin sheet metal.

The structural members and the casing aforesaid enclose a tunnel construction including the insulation, supporting means, etc., vpresently to be described. As shown in Figs. 1, 3, d, 10J 11 and 13, the interior tunnel comprises masonry blocks which support metallic belt carrying means and which are in turn supported from the external structural frame by spaced groups of pillars i3 of refractory or insulating material.

These pillars are preferablylocated above the transverse channels 2 and 3, there preferably being several pillars laterally of the lehr in each of the groups. In this way, I attain forrny novel lehr the result of substantially complete insulation for the interior tunnel; that is, there are substantially no metallic members extending between the exterior and interior of the tunnel in the hotter portion thereof where it is desired to conserve and regulate the heat, and to maintain a desired temperature gradient:

Inasmuch as such means are The interior tunnel is constructed as shown in the accompanying drawings of blocks of masonry in those portions of the lehr shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and up to a part of that shown in Fig. 4. These blocks may be constructed of a special somewhat porous and very light weight concrete material having relatively high insulating characteristics as Acontrasted with normal concrete. 4

This vmaterial may and in practice is constructed by casting the blocks from a wet mixture of cement and a granular aggregate of calcined diatomaceous earth. As shown, the bottom is constructed of blocks I4, Figs. 1 and 10, the sides of blocks 15, Figs. 8 and 9, and the roof of blocks IB. In order to provide 'additional support for the roof blocks, they may be suitably reinforced as shown and provided with bracket members I'I cast therein and connected by bolts I8 with longitudinally extending short angle members I9, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 10, suitable nuts being threaded on the bolts vI8 to secure them in the desired position. The angles I9 are in turn supported by the transverse angles 9. 'Ihe tunnel forming blocks may be recessed and interfltted, as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, toI

maintain them in the desired positions. Intermediate the outer metallic casing and the tunnel forming blocks I4, I and I6, there is preferably providedsome suitable insulating material 20, which may be mineral or glass wool or some powdered material as Sil-o-Cel or kieselguhr. Furthermore, the side and roof -blocks may be suitably positioned by the use of spacer bricks or blocks as shown at 2l, Figs. 10 and 11, extending between these blocks and the metallic outer casing and preferably resting on suitable angle brackets secured to that casing.

Within the tunnel so formed, there is provided in the heated section of the lehr, which in the present instance is that portion down to and including the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and a small part of Fig. 4, certain means for supplying heat to the tunnel, which will be separately' described. Also in the cooling portion of the lehr, i. e., that portion beginning substantially at the center of the part of the lehr shown in Fig. 4 and continuing through the remainder of the length of the tunnel, there are means for` abstracting heat from the .warewhich also will be more particularly described hereinafter.

Throughout the lehr tunnel, the ware is 4carried upon an endless conveyor belt 22, whichy is preferably of open-work woven wire material having its ware-bearing strand supported, as more specifically hereinafter set forth, and passing through the tunneland its idle strand returning to the entering end of the tunnel beneath the same, After passing out of the exit end of the tunnel, as shown' best in Fig. 7, the conveyor 22 passes across a packing table, generally indicated at 23, and thence passes through a driving mechanism generally indicated at 24. Inasmuch as the conveyor driving means is substantially conventional and is more specifically illustrated and described in the Mulholland vReissue Patent l'7,263,'granted April 9, 1929, and Mulholland Patent 1,560,481, granted November 3, 1925, it will notlbe described in detail, but

reference may be had to the Mulholland patents support may be prefabricated in,Y removable units of a given length and such units removably placed in position and secured at the desired positions in such manner that provision is made for each unit to expand independently of the other units, rather than for the whole conveyor support to expand as an entity.

In Figs. 1, 10 and .11, there is illustrated a part of this conveyor support which may be built up of longitudinally extending channels 25 to which may be securedy as by welding, or in any other desired manner, transverse angles 26 upon which the conveyor is directly supported. This structure is further rigidied by securing as by welding, or in any other suitable manner, at the edges thereof Z-bars 2'I having upwardly extending flanges for positioning the conveyor against lateral displacement and downwardly extending anges cooperating with adjacent refractory thereof may be constructed substantially as a unit, that is, after it has been assembled and 'suitably secured together. As shown, the bottom of Athe inner tunnel in this portion Iis formed by a plate 2'9, which may be of sheet metal, to which lare secured a plurality `of laterally extending channels 30 which support the conveyor, there being suit-able relatively thin spacer strips 3| positioned above eaich of the channels 30 as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Along both sides of the tunnel -there are secured to the channels 30 longitudinally extending Iangles 32, Figs. 12,

. v13 and 14, for guiding the conveyor 22.

This rigid construction is anchored against movement longitudinally of the lehr at but one point and is permitted to expand in 'both directions from -thisipoin-t. For this purpose, there is provided as shown in Fig. 4 transverse angles 33 secured to the under side of the bottom plate 29 and adapted loosely to straddle a transversely extending I-beam 34, which is suitably 1 secured to the external frame structure of the lehr, specifically the side channels I. The integral tunnel construction provided in the cooling section of the lehr may expand to some extend With respect -to its supports, but this will not interfere -with the desired operation, due

to the fact that the exp-ansion and contraction in this cooling portion of the lehr is relatively small as -the temperatures are comparatively low in this part of the lehr.

At the forward or ware-entering end of the,

lehr, there is preferably provided a vertically movable door vgenerally indicated at 35 (Figs. 1 and 8)., this door structure being similar to that described in de-tail in the Wadman Patent 1,974,058, granted Sept. lil, 1934 (see Figs. 9 and 10 thereof andthe associated description). It will be understood that this door may be manualy adjusted to any Vdesired height so as to clear articles which are being Vannealed and also may, if desired, be closed for heating the lehr or during any period when articles are not being moved therointo through vthe entering end thereof, as particularly set forth hereinafter. Inasmuch, however, as the construction and mounting of Ithe do'or per -se form no part of the present invention, they will not be further described.

Front end heading and recirculatzng means (Figs. 1, 8,10 and I preferably provide means at the rst or entering end zone of the tunnel fo-r supplying a substantial amount of the total heat supplied to the tunnel, as this is the place where the maX- imum amount of heat is normally required, as to bring cool ware up to the desired temperature, to offset losses of heat through the entering end of the tunnel and to preheat the conveyor, etc. I also provide for the recirculation of at least a part of the products of combustion supplied to this zone in directions generally longitudinal of the lehr and also in such manner that the velocity effect of the gases ytends substantially to prevent inflow of relatively cold atmospheric air into the hotter or entering end of the tunnel.

A-s shown, there are arranged below the path of the ware and at a predetermined line spaced from the entering end of the tunnel, a plurality of burners 36. These burners are preferably arranged as shown in two groups, one on each side of the longitudinal center line of .the lehr and are arranged so that each group may be controlled independently. For this purpose, .the two lower burners 36, as seen in Fig. 8, are connected to a comm-on supply pipe 31 while the two upper burners are similarly connected to a common supply pipe 38. 'I'he pipes 31 and 38 are provided outside the lehr with couplings 3-9 and with valves A40 and 4l for the pipes respectively, on the upstream side of .the couplings.Y Thus, by the manipulation of valves 40 and 4l, the supplying of combustible medium through the -groups of burners 36 may be controlled jointly and severally. lThe provision of .the couplings 39 f permits of .the removal of the burners 3'6 with their pipes 31 and 238 for purposes of cleaning, replacement or repair.

The burners 36'are preferably supplied with a combustible mixture of gas and air from some suitable mixing -device (not shown), the velocity of ow through the burners 36 being greater than that of flame propagation through the mixture, so that the flame will not snap back and burn in the supply pipes. lnasmuch, however, as the 'burners themselves are commercial products and do not per se form a part of the present invention, their detailed construction has not been illustrated and will not be described.

Opposite each of the burners 36, there is provided as shown a burner block 42, which is domeshaped, as best seen in Fig. 10, and is provided with an aperture aligned with that of the burner through which the combustible medium passes. The burner blocks 42 are smaller than their associated passages .to provide for the` induction circulation of air and products of combustion as hereinafter set forth. Each of the burner blocks 42 is located substantially at the entrance end of a Venturi passage 43, vthe bottom of which is formed by one of the blocks I4 forming the tunnel bottom. The sides of these Venturi passages are formed by vertical walls built up upon the blocks HI, as best seen in Fig. 8, and the tops :are formed in part by a plurality of refractory tile members 44 adjacent to the constricted part of the Venturi passages 43 and in part by a plurality of metallic heat radiating members 45, there being four of these members in the construction shown. The members 45 are loosely placed in position to leave spaces between and around them so as to permit them to expand when the structure is heated. These members are provided with a plurality of longitudinally and transversely extending ribs as illustrated, which serve the purposes of providing rigidity for the members, and ltending to prevent their warping, of carrying the conveyor supporting structure, and of assisting in diffusing the heat from the ames in .the Venturi passages d3,

which heat is absorbed by the members t5, conducted therethrough and radiated to the ware passing thereabove on the belt 22.

At the forward end of the lehr the several Venturi passages d3 mergel into a common passage, which is open both to the interior of the tunnel in advance of the rst of the members t5 and also to the exterior of the tunnel in advance of the front door 35 thereof. For delecting the gases upwardly at the front end, there is formed in this passage an insert portion G6, which may be of refractory material and is constructed so that the velocity effect of the gases passing upwardly, some back into the lehr and the remainder out the front end thereof, will serve substantially to prevent inflow of relatively cold atmospheric air into the tunnel at this point. Above this exhaust port out of the tunnel in advance of the front Idoor and in a position to support the-conveyor 22 passing across this port is a perforated plate d1, Figs. 1 and 8. This exhaust port may further be provided with suitable division walls, as best shown in Fig. 15, including a transverse wall 48 and longitudinal walls 49, so that there is formed a plurality of compartments or partial ports through which the gases may pass in exhausting from the lehr at the front or entering end thereof.

Associated with each of these partial ports is an independently adjustable damper, as shown in Fig. 15 at 50, 5I, and 52 respectively. Fig. 8 may be considered to be diagrammatic as to these dampers and shows them as a single damper generally indicated at 53 in that gure.' It will be understood, however, that while I prefer to use a plurality of dampers at this point, as shown in Fig. 15, to obtain an additional function therefrom as hereinafter set forth, the device is operative for many purposes with but one damper as shown at 53 in Fig. 8 extending all across the lehr and without the dividing walls 48 and 49, as shown in Fig, 15.

The function of the dampers 50, 5| and 52 is collectively to control the proportion of the products of combustion passing through the Venturi passages 43 which is deflected back into the lehr tunnel to move in the same direction as that of the movement of the ware therethrough and the complementary proportion which is exhausted through the perforations in the plate 41 outside the lehr tunnel at the forward end thereof. Another eiect of these dampers is that when the dampers are in a position so that a substantial part of the gases are exhausted from the lehr, such as the adjustment illustrated in Fig. 1 for example, the ware will come under the influence of lehr temperatures in advance of the time it would come under the influence of these temperatures if it had to pass inside the tunnel before being bathed in an atmosphere of hot gases and subjected to the temperatures in the tunnel.

Also, if all the dampers 50, 5| and 52 are maintained at the same adjustment, there will A.

-be a substantially uniform deflection of gases lustrated in Fig. 15 for'example, differential temperature gradients may be maintained trans- 'versely of the lehr especially in conjunction with differential adjustment of the supplying` of heat transversely of the lehr by diierential control of the amount of combustible medium passing through the pipes 31 and 38 under control ofv valves 40 and 4I.

This dilerential transversecontrol in conjunction with similar controls in other portions nf the lehr, hereinafter to be described, may be effective in practice to maintain uniform transverse conditions which would not otherwise exist, such for example as in the case of an installation, one side of which is closely adjacent to hot A bodies, such as the checkers of a glass melting furnace, while the other side is open to radiate to the cooler outside walls of a factory. Here the side of the lehr toward the furnace Would tend to run hotter Ithan the other side and it might be necessary to resort to some special regulation, such as isavailable in the lehr of my present invention, in order to establish transverse uniformity of temperatures. On the other hand, in the event that the lehr is being used to anneal ware from two forming machines which is dissimilar as to weight or type, one type of ware being placed on one side of the longitudinal center of the lehr conveyor while the other type is placed on the other side, then it may be desired to establish non-uniform transverse condition in the lehr tunnel, which also is possible with feet in a normal length lehr, there is provided means for supplying heat to the lehr for maintaining a fairly high temperature and for controlling the temperature gradient of the glass in passing through its critical annealing range. During this period in the annealing of the glass, it is normally desired that the temperature drop very gradually, so that permanent strains will be removed and kept out of the Ware to the end that the desired character of annealing will take place. 'I'he rate of heat dissipation through the outside of the tunnel in this zone is usually slightly greater than the amount of heat which is normally to be dissipated from the ware in passing through the zone, so that means are normally provided for supplying heat to the tunnel in this zone to make up the difference. However, in annealing average weight articles at an average rate, this difference is not very great so that the amount of heat which must be supplied is not large. On the other hand, it must be supplied in such aI manner that fairly uniform temperatures exist throughout the Zone, but with the desired temperature gradient downwardly superimposed upon the above-mentioned uniformity. For thisy purpose, it is desirable that y heat be fairly evenly diiused in different parts through the refractory insert 'portion 46 and con- For'this purpose Athe bar is provided at each end with a pin as shown at 5l, Fig. 15, each of which pins is adapted to enter any one of a plurality of holes in a pairof curved brackets 58. By suitably positioning the two ends of the bar 56 in respect tothe brackets 58, the dampers 50 to 52 may be adjusted in any desired manner.

In normal operation the velocity effect of the flames and products of combustion from the burners 36 will induce a material flow of tunnel atmosphere passing downwardlyfrom the tunnel through the conveyor and between the members forming the conveyor support to the region adjacent to the burners 36. This gaseous media with the newly generated products of combustion will flow through the passages 43 and a part will be discharged out the forward end of the lehr through the perforations in the plate 41, the remainder being returned to the lehr tunnel to flow \longi tudinally thereof in the same direction as the movement of the ware therethrough and to be recirculated in part at least by the burners 35.

In the zone of the lehr following that just described in detail and extending approximately. 25

of the tunnel which is one of the results obtained by the construction presently to be described.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide a plurality of burners each substantially independently controllable in order to obtain a desired temperature gradient throughout a heated zone. However, if no special provisions to made for dilusing the heat from the burners, it is usually necessary to provide a relatively large number of burners and space them fairly close together. By my novelprovisions, I am enabled y to attain the desired temperature conditions using a relatively few groups' of burners spaced at considerable distances apart, the heat from these groups being diiused along the tuxmel to obtain a smooth temperature gradient.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, there are a plurality of burner groups, in the present instance six, provided intermediate the forward burners 36 described hereinabove and the point 28, Fig. 4. Inasmuch as each of these burner groups and the associated flame passages are similar to the others, only one will be described.

Each burner group comprises a burner assembly 59, Fig. 3, the details of which are shown in Figs. 16 and 17 and will be hereinafter described. This burner assembly includes four jettype burners directed at substantially angles to one another and all being disposed so as to supply :llames in a substantially horizontal plane, generally toward the sidewalls of the tunnel below the path of the ware therethrough, and specifically at acute angles to the longitudinal axis of the tunnel, substantially 45 in each case. The burner assembly 59 is rigidly carried by the two supply pipes 6l] and Si, which are provided outside the lehr with couplings 52 and valves 63 and and Bil for the pipes Ell and 6l respectively. 'Ihus the pipes 60 and 6l may be disconnected from' tion of one of the burner assemblies 59, each of these burner assemblies comprises a metallic casting 65, including two chambers 66 andl 6l. Each of these chambers has associated therewith two nozzle members 68 and 69 for chamber B6 and Ill and 'H for chamber 6l. The burner is located in its operative position for use with nozzle members 6B and B9 directing flame toward one side of the longitudinal center of the lehr while nozzle members 'Ill and 'H direct flame toward the other side thereof. Combustible media for supplyingnozzle members 68 and 6,9 are conducted to chamber 66 through pipe S, as best seen in Fig. 16, while combustible media for the other two nozzle members are conducted to chamber 61 through pipe Alil. Thus by the independent control of valves 63 and 66, I am enabled to obtain a differential temperature control for the two sides of the lehr for the purposes and with the advantages above set forth.

Around the casting or metallic member 65 is a refractory housing 12, which serves to protect the metallic portions of the device Vfrom the relatively high heat existing in this part of the lehr construction. Also, each of the nozzle members 68 to 'H has associated therewith a refractory burner block i3 which functions in the usual manner. The interior construction of each of the nozzle members 68 to 'll forms no part of the present invention and hence will not be described. These nozzle members may be and preferably are products available for purchase on the open inarket.

Means are provided as above set forth for locating the burner assembly 5S in the desired position and 'also for facilitating the removal thereof when such removal is desired. As best shown in Figs. 11 and 17, the burner assembly 5.9 is provided with a projection or stud M adapted to lit into a recess 'l5 formed in the bottom block Ill at the desired point for locating the burner assembly at its operative position. The burner assembly Ell is carried as above set forth by the pipes 6l) and El which, as shown in Figs. 16 `and 17. are threaded into the metallic casting 65 for this purpose. The pipes B0 and 6l pass toward the side of the lehr in a channel formed between blocks 'it and pass through a block 'll (Fig. 11), this block being provided with suitable bores for this purpose. Above the block l'i there is located a removable block 18, which is held in position by an outer movable cover member w, Fig. 2. Thus, when it is desired tc remove the burner assembly, the couplings 62 are disconnected, the cover il@ and block i8 are then removed, and the burner assembly may then be tilted upwardly by tilting the pipes 60 and 6l in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 11, to displace the stud il from the recess l5. The burner assembly 59 may then be drawn out of the lehr by the pipes til and lil and cleaned or repaired and replaced, or a new burner substituted therefor. The installation of a burner lassembly may be accomplished by carrying through a reverse series of steps from that just described.

Located above the block 13 at a desired point is a block 80 provided with a peep hole Bl therethrough which registers with a hole 82, Fig. 2, in the outer casing il of the lehr, this hole serving for the purpose of permitting observation of v all the flames from the burner assembly 59 associated therewith. Thus it can be deter-' larly to Fig. 9, it will be seen that aligned axially with the burner nozzles E8 to 1I are burner blocks 83 similar to the burner blocks 42 described, and mounted upon the floor blocks It of the tunnel. Flame passing through these blocks 83 must pass between the forward ends 8d of the adjacent blocks 16 and the curved portions of blocks 85 to a passage generally indicated at 86, the bottom of which is defined by the oor blocks l@ of the tunnel, one side by the block 16 and the other side by portions of blocks 85 and blocks @l and 83. The remaining blocks at this level of the tunnel are end blocks 89 connecting the ends of adjacent blocks t8 and supporting blocks Sli located substantially parallel to the blocks B9 and serving only as supports for the blocks thereabove. Above these several blocks are located blocks 9i adjacent to the burners, blocks @i in the rear thereof, large cover blocks 93 and short end blocks 945 above portions of the blocks l, and intermediate cover blocks 95, all as shown in Fig. 9. These blocks are all of refractory material and are suitably laid in place and, if desired, secured in place by cement as at 96, filling cracks or joints therebetween. These several cover blocks 93, 96 and define between themselves and the side blocks l5 elongate openings el through which the products of combustion from the passages 86 may pass upwardly adjacent to tthe side walls of the tunnel to be circulated in direct contact with the ware passing therethrough. It will be noted that the blocks Si, 93 and gli at the upper level and blocks l@ therebelow define channels leading to each side of the lehr and a substantially circular opening directly above the burner assemblies 59 so arranged as to permit the downflow of tunnel atmosphere to the region adjacent to the burner assemblies 59 where it may be recirculated by induction as more specically to be hereinafter set forth. Also these laterally extending channels permi-t of the inspection of the burners through the peep holes 8l and 82 and permit of the burners being installed with the pipes t@ and 6l leading to either side of the lehr, whichever may be the more convenient in the installation to be made.

The ames from the burner assemblies pass first through the burner blocks 83, then through the. constrictecl portion of the channel, then the larger portion 86 thereof, and thence to the side walls and upwardly through the openings Sl to flow upwardly along the side walls of the tunnel, thence toward the middle above the path of the ware, and thence downwardly between the articles being annealed to be recirculated by the inductive action of the burners. Thus, the heat from the burners will be effective primarily to supply heat adjacent to the side walls and to maintain these portions of the tunnel at the desired temperatures, thus opposing the normal loss of heat through the side walls and the tendency in substantially all prior art lehrs for the temperatures to be lower adjacent to the side walls than in the center portions of the tunnel. In this way, I am enabled to Aobtain a greater uniformity in temperature than is possible with most prior constructions.

Cooling section of the lehr As shown in Fig. 4, there may be provided intermediate the heated section proper of the lehr terminating substantially at the point 2S and the cooling section proper which begins substantial-ly at the point 98 in that figure, an

intermediate section which may be neither heated nor cooled. The construction of this section has previously been covered in describing the general construction of the lehr as a whole. The section from the point 98, Fig. 4, to the`exit end` of the tunnel, may be considered as the cooling section of the lehr, and in this section means are provided for controllingthe abstraction of heat from the ware and accelerating the cooling thereof in several zones longitudinally of this cooling section.

Extending substantially throughout the cooling section of lehr and adjacent `to the upper corners of the tunnel above the path of the ware are longitudinally extending pipes 99, Figs. 4, 5, 6, '1, 13 and 14, these pipes being secured in position in a suitable manner as by hangers |00, Figs. 6 and 13, secured to the roof of the tunnel. Cooling air may be supplied to the pipes 99 by a blower |0| which may be of the centrifugal type as shown and driven by any suitable source of power (not shown). The blower has a centrally located intake opening |02 and a tangentially arranged exhaust passage |03 associated therewith, flow through this passage -being controlled by a suitable damper adapted to be adjusted by a hand lever |04 in the usual manner. The pipe or passage I 03 divides into two passages |05 (Figs. 6 and 14) which passages communicate with the pipes 99 respectively. If desired manually adjustable dampers |06 may be interposed in the pipes |05 for permitting a relative lateral control of the cooling effects hereinafter described.

Disposed at spaced intervals along both pipes 99 are jet nozzles |01 and |08, the former directing air substantially at right angles to the axes of the pipes 99 and the latter, inclined thereto in order to direct jets of air under relatively high pressure toward vthe forward or ware-entering end of the lehr, so as to obtain an induction inow of air into the exit end of the tunnel, as

hereinafter to be described. In practice, the

arrangement is preferably such that the jet nozzles |01 and |08 may be interchangeably threaded into the pipes 99, the nozzles themselves being of two different kinds, vsome (|01) straight and others (|08) inclined, so that any desired proportion of each may be supplied. with a given construction. The usual arrangement is one in which the inclined nozzles |08 are employed adjacent to the exit end of the tunnel and the straight nozzles |01 are employed throughout the remainder of the lengths of the pipes 99.

Throughout the major portion of the cooling sectionas above set forth, there is a longitudinally extending deiiector generally indicated at |09 located adjacent to the center portion of the roof of the tunnel, this deflector serving also as a hollow duct to assist in the exhaust of Vtunnel atmosphere through exhaust ports leading upwardly therefrom through the roof of the tunnel.-

For purposes of effecting a zone control of cooling, the interior of the deflector |09 is in effect divided into a plurality of zones, or it may be formed as specifically illustrated herein in separate portions with bridging members as illustrated at ||0 therebetween so as to make a substantially continuous deiiector. It will be understood that throughout the lengthof this substantially continuous deflector |09 the circulated air in the tunnel including the air supplied through the' jets |01 or |08 and the air induced to ow thereby Vwill mpinge against the inclined lateral sides of thedeiictor |09 and be directed downwardly through the ware on the conveyor adjacent to the longitudinal center line of the tunnel, thence it will flow laterally toward the side walls of the tunnel and thence upwardly to be recirculated by the inductive action of the jets. In this respect the present construction is somewhat similar to that of my prior copending application, now Patent No. 2,133,783 above referred to. 4

Inasmuch as the construction and functioning of the cooling air recirculation in certain of the zones is somewhat different from that in others, these zones willbe considered independently to a certain extent. The first zone includes that portion of the tunnel beginning substantially at the point 98 in Fig. 4 and continuing to approximately the point in Fig. 5; The recirculation in this zone and the ycontrol of the exhaust of tunnel atmosphere therefrom is all under a single common control as hereinafter set forth.

Specically the deector members shown at 2, Figs. 4, 5 and 13, forming a part of the de iiector |09 in this zone are constructed with closed ends |4 and 5 and are rigidly connected t0 the roof plates ||6 by brackets H1, Fig. 13. The inclined side walls ||8 of this portion of the deiiector are spaced from the roof plates ||6 to provide elongate narrow openings 9 through which a part of the circulated air may pass into the interior of the duct and thence iiow to an outlet port |20. In this outlet port, there is shown a plurality of dampers |2| and |22 mounted on horizontal axles, which are provided with crank arms |23 and |24 connected by a link |25 for common control.

naled in a bearing |21 and terminating in a handle |28 by which the setting of both dampers may be simultaneously controlled. Thus in this zone a predetermined adjustable portion of the air circulated under the inductive action of the jets |01 will be caused to pass through the openings |9, along the interior of the duct formed within the deflector members ||2 and out the port |20 under the control of the dampers |2| and |22.

Following the zone just described and extending toward the exit end of the lehr, there are a plurality, in this case six, of similar independent cooling zones, although it will be understood of course that as many as desired could be pro-4' vided. Inasmuch as these zones and the construction and control thereof are the same, only one will be described.

Each of these independent zones includes a de- -fiector member |29, which is' closed at its ends and forms part of the general deector |09 in conjunction with the bridging portions ||D, the deflector members |29 being secured to the top plate |2 or ||6 of the tunnel by brackets |30, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Thus the-middle portion of the deflector |29, which Vis rigidly secured to the top of the tunnel as aforesaid will to the edges of the deflector |29 at |32 (Fig. 14)..

When the adjustable portions 3| are substantially closed as shown in Fig. 14, they constitute substantial continuations of the inclined side faces-of the deflector |29. When they are opened to some extent, however, they provide openings The damper |22 has its axle |28 extended to the side of the lehr, joursimilar to the openings H9, Fig. 13, between themselves and the top plate or roof of the tunnel to permit a part of the circulated air to flow to the interior of the deflector member |29 and thence out through the open port |33 associated therewith to the atmosphere.

Means are provided for controlling the angular positions of the adjustable members |3I. While I have shown means for adjusting these two portions simultaneously, or in effect a common :adjusting means, it will be understood' that if desired, some independent adjusting means maybe used. As shown, each of the adjustable members |3| has an arm- |34 rigidly connected thereto, these arms being connected by links |35 to cranks |36 secured to a transversely extending shaft |31, which is journaled in the sides of the member |38 forming lthe exhaust port |33, and also in a bracket |39 and which terminates at one side of the lehr in a hand crank |40. Thus by the adjustment of the crank |40, both adjustable portions |3| will be simultaneously moved to the desired position to provide for Vthe exhaust of a selected amount of air in each of the cooling zones respectively,

In general the operation of the cooling portion of the lehr is vas follows. Air is supplied under relatively high pressure to the pipes 99 from the blower ||l| and is directed into the lehr through jet nozzles |01I and |08, the nozzles |08 being n. clined away from the cooler end of the lehr not only to cause circulation in the cooling portion thereof in generally helical paths, moving downwardly at the longitudinal center portion of the lehr toward the sides and thence up the sides to be recirculated, but also to cause an inductive inflow of atmospheric air into the exit end of the lehr, which ows -countercurrent to the ware and serves to cool it, -being recirculated progressively by the inductive action of the-jets as it passes toward the hotter end of the lehr. The several dampers controlled bythe handles |40 and |28 are so adjusted that selected amounts of the cooling air are withdrawn or discharged from the lehr at intervals along the cooling portion thereof, so that the cooling effect normally becomes progressively less toward the hotter end thereof and also the amount of air being circulated in the lehr tunnel is normally less toward the latter end, although this last may not always be the case. This results in the air being at progressively higher temperatures toward the hotter end of the lehr, so that the ware is never subjected to direct cooling action of air at temperatures too widely different from its own temperature, which might result in undue-stresses being set up and possibly breakage of the ware. In effect, therefore, the control effected by the several dampers serves to control the amount of inow of atmospheric air into the exit end of 'the lehr tunnel and hence the pressure existing not Vonly in the cooling portion of the tunnel, 'but also to a major. extent in they heated portion thereof.' Thus in practice, it is feasible by this regulation to control the inow of air at vthe cooling end and the pressures existing substantially throughout the lehr to the end that the exhaust of gaseous media at the entering end ofV the lehr is effectively controlled.

pipes 99a correspond generally to the pipes 99, except that they are provided in the portion shown at least only with jet nozzles |01, which are positioned with ltheir axes at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the pipes 99a, and also the pipes 99a are swivelly mounted both as to their support, the brackets |00a in respect to the lehr tunnel, and also as to their supply duct,v

i, e., their connection with the pipes, |05. Substantially opposite each of the nozzles |01 and extending from the deflector member |0911, corresponding generally to the deflector |09, is a laterally extending inclined deiiector vane I4 which may be formed substantially as shown in Figs. 18 to 20. Thus if the pipe 99a is rotated through a small angle about its longitudinal axis, the deector nozzle |07 associated with the vane |4| will be moved in such manner that the flow of air induced thereby will be in one direction or the other longitudinally of the `lehr tunnel. If some adjustment be made intermediate the extreme adjustments, the velocity of ow in one direction as from the exit toward the entrance end of the tunnel may be varied, with the desirable results above set forth. I contemplate that either or both these arrangements for controlling flow and pressure along the tunnel may be used as may be desired.

In the normal operation of the lehr, i. e., with average and also with relatively heavy loadings, it will not be necessary to carry heat toward the exit end of the tunnel beyond the end of the heated zone, as above set forth.l Under such circumstances, therefore, I desire that substantially all the products of combustion be exhausted from the tunnel through the forward or entering end thereof. It will be understood, of course, that these products of combustion may be recirculated several or many times within the tunnel, but that the total amount exhausted at the forward or entering end will be at least as great as the input of products of combustion into the tunnel by all the burners at any one time. Thus, in the zone intermediate the heated and cooling zones, i. e., from the points 28 to 98, Fig. 4, there will be no owtoward the exit end of the tunnel. In this in termediate zone there may at this time be a slight flow toward the entrance end'of the tunnel due to the fact that the amount of air drawn into they exit end of the lehr, plus the amount blown into the tunnel by the blower |0|, may be slightly greater than the amount exhausted through the several exhaust'ports. This tendency for air to ow through the tunnel from the exit toward the entrance end may be assisted by inclining the tunnel a small amount downward toward the exit end thereof.

When, however, quite light loadings are used (in Weight of glass loaded per unit of time), or when no ware is being supplied to the lehr, the heat losses therefrom through the side walls will be in excess of the heat supplied in the cooling section of the lehr. Under these circumstances, it is desirable that heat be supplied to this cooling section to maintain it up to the desired temperatures. Under these circumstances, the positive cooling may be reduced or cut off completely as by closing the damper |04 or stopping the blower |0|, the outflow through the forward end reduced or cut off as by controlling dampers 50 to 52, and a part or all the products of combustion caused to pass toward theexit end of the tunnel and be exhausted through the ports |20 and |33 normally used for the exhaust of cooling air. This has been found also to be an excellent way of preheating the lehr before putting ware thereinto, or maintaining it with the desired temperature gradient therein during a period of time in which no ware is being passed thereinto. Under these circumstances, the front door is usually closed and some closure (not shown) may also be placed at the rear or exit end of the tunnel. The construction and all of these methods of operation are to be considered as within the purview of my invention.

While I have shown and described but one principal embodiment of my invention, and certain moded forms of a minor detail thereof, I cbntemplate that various changes may be made therein, both as to method and structure, including those suggested herein. I do not wish to be limited, therefore, except by the scope oi the appended claims, which are to be construed as broadly as the state of the prior art permits.

I claim:

1. IThe method oi annealing glassware, which comprises the steps of passing the ware to be i annealed through an elongate lehr tunnel having a heated section and a cooling section, generating products of combustionin the heated section of the lehr tunnel in such manner that the products of combustion will envelop the ware passing through the tunnel and will ow in the tunnel to the end thereof through which the ware enters, and venting all said products of combustion to the atmosphere at said end.

2. The method of annealing glassware, which comprises the steps of passing the ware to be annealed through an elongate lehr tunnel having a heated section and a cooling section, generating products of combustion adjacent to the heated section of the tunnel, and recirculating the products of combustion in the heated section of the tunnel by energy derived at least in part from the velocity of the gases introduced into the tunnel and in such manner and direction that the recirculated gaseous media in the tunnel ilow toward the sides ci the tunnel at a level below the path of the ware, thence up the sides of the tunnel, toward the center thereof above the path of the ware, and thence downwardly through the path of the ware and spaced from the sides of the tunnel to be recirculated.

3. The method of annealing glassware, which comprises the steps of passing the ware to be annealed through an elongate lehr tunnel having a heated section and a cooling section, generating products of combustion in the heated section of the lehr tunnel by introducing a combustible medium into the tunnel through burners and in such manner that the products of combustion will envelop the Ware passing through the tunnel, and causing a circulation of the tunnel atmosphere and the products of combustion in the heated section of the tunnel-by the inductive action of the burners-and in such manner and directionA that the names are directed toward the sides of the tunnel at a level below the path of the ware, the gases circulating thence up the sides of the tunnel, towardthe center thereof above the path of thel ware, and thence downwardly through the path of the ware and spaced from the sides of the tunnel tov be recirculated by the inductive action of the burners.

4. The method of annealing glassware, which comprises the steps of passing the ware to be annealed through an elongate lehr tunnel having a heated section and a cooling section, generating products of combustion in the heated section of the lehr tunnel by introducing a combustible medium into the tunnel through burners and in such manner that the products of combustion will envelop the ware passing through the tunnel,v causing a circulation of tunnel atmosphere and products of combustion in the heated section of the tunnel by the inductive action of the burners in such manner and direction that the flames are directed toward the sides of the tunnel at a level below the path of the ware, thence upwardly, thence toward the center of the tunnel above the path of the ware and thence downwardly to be recirculated by induction, and independently controlling the temperature gradients for ware passingthrough the tunnel on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the tunnel by independently controlling the characteristics of the circulated gaseous media transversely of the tunnel.

5. The method of annealing glassware, which comprises the steps of passing the ware to be annealed through an elongate lehr tunnel having a heated section and a cooling section, supplying heat to the heated section of the lehr tunnel, recirculating tunnel atmosphere in an orbital path wholly within the lehr tunnel in a zone starting at the entering end. thereof and in a direction generally longitudinal of the tunnel, and

vrecirculating tunnel atmosphere in a succeeding zone of said heated section of the tunnel in an orbital path wholly within the heated section of the lehr tunnel and in a direction generally transverse of the tunnel.

6. The method of annealing glassware, which comprises the steps of passing the ware to be annealed through an elongate lehr tunnel having a heated section and a cooling section, generating products of combustion in the heated sectionof the lehr tunnel by" introducing a combustible medium into the tunnel through the burners and in such manner that the products of combustion will envelop theware passing through the tunnel, recirculating tunnel atmosphere including a part of said products of combustion in an orbital path wholly within the lehr tunnel in a zone starting at the entering end thereof and in a direction generally longitudinal 'of the tunnel by the inductive action of certain of the burners, and recirculating tunnel atmosphere including a portion of the products of combustion in an orbital path wholly within the lehr tunnel in a succeeding zone in the heated section thereof and in a direction generally transverse of the tunnel by the, inductive action of certain other of the burners..

7. The method of annealing glassware, which comprises the steps of passing the ware to be annealed through an elongate lehr tunnel having a heated section and a cooling section, generating products of combustion in the heated section of the lehr tunnel in such manner that the products of combustion will envelop the ware passing through the tunnel, causing the introduction of air into the cooling section ofthe lehr tunnel, venting air from the cooling section of the lehr tunnel to the atmosphere,` and controlling the relative amounts of air introduced into and vented from the cooling section of the lehr tunnel in such manner that substantially all the products of combustion generated in lthe heated section of the lehr tunnel will pass along inside the tunnel to the end thereof through which the ware enters and be vented from the tunnel to the atmosphere at said end. Y

8. The metlidof annealing glassware, which comprises the steps of passing the ware to be annealed through an elongate lehr tunnel having a heated section and a cooling section, generating products ofl combustion in the heated section of the lehr tunnel in such manner that the products of combustion will envelop the ware passing through the tunnel, introducing air under pressure into the cooling portion of the'lehr tunnel in such manner as to induce an inow of atmospheric air into the exit vend thereof, controllably venting air from the cooling section of the tunnel to the atmosphere at intervals therealong, so regulating the amount of air introduced into the tunnel under pressure and the amount of air induced into the tunnel at the exit end in respect to the amount of air vented from the cooling section of the tunnel to the atmoselongate tunnel lehr including a tunnel having an opening through which ware enters, generating products of combustion in said tunnel below the path of the ware therethrough, and continuously directing a part of said products of combustion to and through said opening to the atmosphere in an upwardly inclined direction and with a velocity such as substantially to prevent inow of atmospheric air into the lehr tunnel through said opening.

10. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel having aheating portion, open work conveying means for moving glassware through said tunnel, and a burner for generating transverse recirculations in said tunnel, saidl burner being located in said portion of said tunnel below the path of the ware therethrough and disposed to direct names toward both lateral side walls of the tunnel, the region of said burner being open to the interior of the tunnel above said burner.

11. Apparatus in accordance with ,claim wherein a plurality of burners are provided disposed at spaced intervals along said portion of the tunnel and similarly arranged to said burner af claim 10 to provide recirculation of the gases in the tunnel, and wherein said burners are provided with separate chambers for the burner openings directed toward the opposite side walls v ential control of the circulations on opposite sides of the nedian central portion of the tunnel for differentially controlling the temperature gradients to which ware passing through the tunnel on the conveying means on opposite sides of the center line thereof is subjected. v A

l2. Apparatus .for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel having -a heating poradaii of said tunnel and inclined toward the forward end of saidA tunnel and other burners of each group being at'acute angles to the longitudinal axis of said tunnel anddirected toward the rear thereof, the region of each of said burner groups being open to the interior of the tunnel above said burner groups.

13. Apparatus in accordance with claim l2, wherein passage-forming means are associated with the burners of each group for directing :llames and gases induced by the burners from the region of the'burners toward the side walls of said tunnel and for assisting in the inductive recirculation of the gases in the tunnel by the burners.

14. Apparatus for annealing glassware, com` prising an elongate tunnel, means for conveying glassware therethrough, a burner located in said tunnel below the path of the glassware therethrough, and comprising a burner structure supported adjacent to the center of the tunnel at the bottom thereof, interengaging means between said burner structure and its support for accurately positioning the burner'at the desired point, a pipe rigidly connected to said burner structure for supplying it with a combustible medium, means facilitating the easy removal of the burner structure for cleaning, replacement or repair, including a removable side wall portion for the lehr tunnel including a part removable with said pipe and another part removable independently of said pipe, and flame directing structure intermediate -said burner structure and the side wall of the tunnel through which said pipe extends, including an opening above and in alignment with said pipe, the burner being removable by rst taking out the independently removable side wall portion, then tilting upwardly the burner stmoture and its associated pipe lto disengage the burner from its positioning means in respect to its subjacent support, then laterally removing the burner by said pipe,

15. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, openworkconveying means for moving glassware therethrough, a plu--A 'through which the ware enters from points spaced a predetermined distance from said end.

passage means associated with said burners :for directing a part of the ames thereof into said tunnel adjacent to said end thereof, other passage means communicating between the region of said burners and the underside of said conveying tion, open work conveying means for moving glassware throughl said tunnel, and a plurality of groups of burners for generating transverse reci'rculations in the tunnel, said burners being located at spaced intervals along said portion of the tunnel below the path of the ware for directing ames generally toward the side walls of said tunnel, certain burners of each group' being directed at acute angles to the longitudinal axis means, whereby a part of the products of comhustion from said burners will be recirculated in paths generally longitudinal of the tunnel by the inductive action of said burners, and means for effecting a diierential control of said burners for dierential control of the temperatures to which the ware is subjected laterally of said tunnel.

i6. Apparatus-for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, open-work conveying means for moving glassware therethrough, a plurality of burners located at spaced intervals across said tunnel below the path of the ware therethrough and arranged to direct ames toward the end of the tunnel through which the ware enters from points spaced a predetermined distance from said end, Venturi passage means respectively for the ames of each of said burners and opening at the forward end of the tunnel partially to the interior thereof, a part of the top oi' said passage means adjacent to said burners being of refractory tile and the remainder of the culated by the inductive action thereof in paths extending longitudinally of said tunnel in the entering end zone thereof.

17. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, conveying means for moving glassware therethrough, a burner in said tunnel below the path of the ware and arranged to direct flame toward the end of the tunnel through which the ware enters from apoint spaced 'a predetermined distance from said end, passage forming means associated with said burner for directing the iiames thereof toward the said end of the tunnel so that the products of combustion may be introduced into the tunnel and also exhausted therefrom at said end thereof, and an adjustable damper associated with the end of said passage forming means adjacent to said end of the tunnel for controlling the proportion of said products of combustion vented through said end of the tunnel and the complementary portion thereof directed into the tunnel to ow therealong in the same direction as the movement of the Ware therethrough.

18. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, conveying means for moving glassware therethrough, means to supply products of combustion to said tunnel below the path ofthe glassware and to direct said products of combustion toward the end of the tunnel through which the ware enters from a point spaced a predetermined distance from such end, means extending transversely of said tunnel for conducting said products of combustion from said supply means toward said end of the tunnel, the last named means communicating with the interior of the tunnel at said end. a plurality of independently mounted dampers in said last named means arranged transversely of said end of the tunnel for deilecting gases back into the tunnel and for controlling the proportion of the products of combustion so deflected back into the tunnel to ow therealong in the same direction as the movement of the ware therethrough, means for venting the remainder of the products of combustion to the atmosphere at said end of the tunnel, and means for substantially independently adjusting the position of said dampers to eiect a transverse control of the products of combustion recirculated in the entering end of the tunnel.

19. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel having a heating portion and a cooling portion, means for conveying glassware therethrough, a jet nozzle in the cooling portion of said' tunnel for introducing a cooling medium under pressure into the tunnel, said jet nozzle being so disposed and directed as to cause a circulation of tunnel atmosphere in a path having a major component of direction transverse of said tunnel, a deiiector associated with one wall of said tunnel and arranged to be impinged by the cooling medium from said jet nozzle said deflector being spaced from its associated :Wall to provide a passageway therebetween into which some of the cooling medium and tunnel atmosphere circulated by said jet nozzles may pass, and an exhaust passage connecting said passageway with the atmosphere outside the tunnel for venting from the tunnel cooling medium and tunnel atmosphere passing through said passageway.

20. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, open-work conveying means for moving glassware therethrough, opposing jet nozzles located adjacent to the upper corners of said tunnel and directed generally toward the center thereof above the path of the ware, means for supplying a cooling medium under pressure to said jet nozzles, deiiector means associated with the roof of said tunnel substantially along the longitudinal center line thereof and so positioned as to be impinged by the tunnel atmosphere circulated by said jet nozzles and to direct the circulation in the tunnel from the jet nozzles downwardly in the longitudinal central portion of the tunnel, said deiiector means being spaced from the roof of said tunnel to provide passageways between the upper edge portions of the den iiector means and the roof of the tunnel, and passage means connecting said passageways with the atmosphere outside the tunnel for venting a portion of the circulated tunnel atmosphere from the tunnel.

2l. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, means for conveying glassware therethrough, a jet nozzle in the cooling portion of said tunnel for introducing a cooling medium under pressure into the tunnel, said jet nozzle being so disposed and directed as to cause circulation of tunnel atmosphere in a path having a major component of direction transverse of said tunnel, a deiiector associated with one wall of said vtunnel and so positioned as to be impinged by the cooling medium from said jet nozzle, said deiiector being spaced from its associated wall to provide a passageway facing said jet nozzle, adjustable means for controlling the width of said passageway, and an exhaust passage connecting said passageway with the atmosphere for venting from the tunnel cooling medium in tunnel atmosphere passing through said passageway.

22. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, opposing jet nozzles arranged in the upper corner portions of said tunnel for directing cooling medium under pressure into said tunnel above the path of the ware therethrough, independently adjustable means for supplying cooling medium under pressure to said jet nozzles, a trough-shaped deflector associated with the roof of said tunnel and so posit-loned as to be impinged by said jet nozzles, said deiiector being lspaced from the roof of'said tunnel to provide passageways to the space within the deiiector said jet nozzles and said deiiector cooperating to cause an induction circulation of tunnel atmosphere.from the jet nozzles to the deector, downwardly in the central portion oi4 said tunnel, laterally to the sides thereof, and thence upwardly to be recirculated by said jet nozzles, individually adjustably mounted portions of said deilector adjacent to the roof of the tunnel on the sides of said deflector for adjustably controlling the width'of said passageways intermediate the upper edges of said adjustable deflector portions and the roof of the tunnel, and an exhaust passage connecting said passageways and the interior of said trough-shaped deflector with the atmosphere for venting from the tunnel a portion of the circulated tunnel atmosphere, the amount of which i-s regulated by they adjustment of the adjustable portions of said deiiector, whereby independently adjustable circulations of tunnel atmosphere may be maintained on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the tunnel at the region at which the above recited elements are located.

23. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, open-work conveying means for moving glassware therethrough,

opposed jet nozzles disposed in the upper corner a circulation of tunnel atmosphere by the inductive action of said jet nozzles toward the deflector member, thence downwardly through thel ware and through the conveying means, thence laterally toward the side walls of the tunnel and thence upwardly to be recirculated as aforesaid,

v said deiiector member having hinged portions at the sides thereof and forming a part oii the denecting surfaces thereof, said hinged portions defining adjustable width passageways between themselves and the roof of the tunnel into the interior of said trough-shaped deflector member,

' an exhaust port connecting the interiorof said deilector member with Athe vatmosphere outside the tunnel, and a common means for simultaneously controlling the position of said hinged portions of said deiiector member to control the width of said passageways and thereby to control the amount of the circulated atmosphere in the tunnel which is vented from the tunnel through such passageways and said port.

24. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, means for conveying glassware therethrough, a pipe extending longitudinally of said tunnel at each of -the upper corners thereof, a plurality of jet nozzles associated with each of said pipes and all directed in a substantially horizontal plane transversely of said tunnel and generally toward the longitudinal center line thereof, a substantially continuous hollow, trough-shaped deilector associated with the roof of said tunnel and extending along the longitudinal center line thereof and positioned so as to be impinged by the tunnel atmosphere circulated by the inductive action of said jet nozzles, the upper edges of said deflector being spaced from the roof of said tunnel on either side thereof to provide passageways into the interior of said deflector, means dividing the interior of said deector into independent substantially contiguous zones, exhaust passages connecting the interior of said deiiector in each of said zones 'with the atmosphere outside the tunnel, and means associated with each of said exhaust passages for controlling the amount of circulated tunnel atmosphere vented from the tunnel.

25. Apparatusfor annealing glassware, -comprising an elongate tunnel, open-work conveying means for moving glassware therethrough, a. pipe extending along each' of the upper corners of said tunnel in the cooling portion thereof, means for'supplying air under pressure to said pipes, a. plurality of jet nozzles associated with each of said pipes all of which are disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and certain at least of which have their axes inclined at an acute angle 'to the longitudinal axis of. the tunnel, a substantially continuous trough-shaped deector having astenia upper side vportions associated with the roof of the tunnel in the zone in which said jet nozzles are located and providing between itself and the roof a duct for tunnel atmosphere, means dividing said duct into a plurality of substantially contiguous zones, exhaust ports connecting the duct in each of said zones with the atmosphere, the upper side portions of said deector being spaced a predetermined distance from the roof ot' said tunnel in at least one of said zones to provide openings or passageways therebetween communicating between the interior of said tunnel and said duct, damper means associated with the exhaust port of the portions of the duct continuously open to the tunnel as aforesaid, certain other portions of said deiiector having adjustably mounted wall sections providing adjustable width openings or passageways intermediate the tunnel and the part of the duct within the deilector at these portions, and means accessible from the exterior of the annealing apparatus for adjusting such adjustable wall sections, said jet nozzles and said deector cooperating to cause a recirculation of the tunnel atmosphere in the cooling portion of the tunnel by the inductive action of the jets in such manner as iirst to impinge against the deilector, thence to move,A downwardly through the ware and through the conveying means along the longitudinal central portion of the tunnel, and :then to iiow laterally toward the side walls thereof and up the side walls to be recirculaited by the action of the jets as aforesaid.

26. Apparatus 'for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel including a heated portion and a cooling portion, means for conveying glassware 1therethrough, substantially 'laterally directed jet nozzles in the cooling portion of said tunnel, means for supplying a cooling medium under pressure to said nozzles, deiector means in said tunnel disposed so as to be impinged by the jets from said nozzles, and means for controlling the angular position of the jets from said nozzles in respect to the surfaces of said deector means against which these jets impinge in such a. way as to control the longitudinal component of the direction of ow o the gaseous media deflected from said surfaces, and thereby controlling the inow of atmospheric air into the exit end of said tunnel. i

27. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel including a heatedportion and a cooling portion, means for conveying glassware therethrough,longitudinallyextending pipes in the upper corners of thecooling portion of said tunnel, substantially laterally directed jet nozzles at spaced intervals along said pipes,

means for supplying cooling air under pressure Y through said pipes and to and through saidtions trom the jet nozzles generally toward' thev center of said tunnel above the path of the ware,

downwardly adjacent to the longitudinal center portion Ao the tunnel and between the articles` moving therethrough, thence laterally toward the side walls and upwardly along both side walls, and means associated with the above recited elements for controlling the ini-low of atmospheric air into the exit end of said tunnel. 

